Chesapeake Bay weather for March 4: sunny but unseasonably cold

Highway access to the city at the end of the trans-Alaska pipeline has been cut off indefinitely by avalanches, including one that dammed a river and created a lake up to a half-mile long across the roadway in a 300-foot wide mountain canyon. (Jan. 27)

Today: Bitterly cold this morning, then sunny and unseasonably cold with a high from 25 to 30.

Tonight: Clear and very cold with a low in the mid to upper 10s.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny and chilly with a high in the mid to upper 30s.

Wednesday Night: Variable cloudiness with a low in the mid 20s.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and/or snow showers. The high will be in the upper 30s.

The extended forecast calls for clouds and sun on Friday with a low in the lower 30s and a high in the lower 40s. Mostly sunny on Saturday with a low in the lower 30s and a high in the upper 40s. Mostly sunny on Sunday with a low in the lower 30s and a high in the upper 40s. Clouds and sun on Tuesday with a low in the mid 30s and a high in the mid 50s.

Baltimore set a record low this morning of 4 degrees, breaking a 141-year old record of 5 degrees. This record will have to be verified by the National Weather Service before becoming official. Nonetheless, the fact that we could even come close to breaking such a long-standing record is indicative of the impressive cold of this air mass. Of course, the fresh snow and clear skies helped temperatures plummet across the region with widespread single digits and teens. Today's weather will feature bright March sunshine, but the sun will be deceptive as temperatures will struggle to reach the upper 20s. With clear skies, calm winds, and fresh snow on the ground, tonight's readings will fall back into the 10s and perhaps a few isolated spots in the upper single digits. More sunshine is expected on Wednesday with slightly milder readings as highs will reach the mid to upper 30s. Looking ahead, an area of low pressure is expected to develop along the southeast coast on Thursday and Friday. At the moment, computer forecast models are indicating that the low may brush the Middle Atlantic region with snow showers; however, this system will be monitored for potential development. Regardless of what this particular system brings, the upcoming weekend will feature a return to more seasonal weather conditions with highs climbing back into the 40s. Next week's weather will begin with temperatures in the 40s and even some 50s, but another shot of cold air may bring winter back for another visit by the end of next week.

On the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay, no advisories are currently in effect. Winds on Tuesday will come out of the northeast at 10 knots with waves from 1 to 2 feet. Winds on Tuesday night will come out of the northeast at 10 knots with waves around one foot. Winds on Wednesday will come out of the north at 10 knots with waves around one foot. Winds on Wednesday night will come out of the north at 10 to 15 knots with gusts over 20 and waves from 1 to 2 feet. Winds on Thursday will come out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots with gusts over 20 and waves from 1 to 2 feet. Marine information is provided as general guidance. Boaters should always stay tuned to the latest forecasts and advisories from the National Weather Service.

The average high temperature for March 4 is 50 degrees and the average low is 30 degrees. The records at Baltimore on this date are 80 degrees in 1923, and 5 degrees in 1873. Today's sunrise will occur at 6:35 and the sunset will occur at 6:02. Weather data courtesy of the National Weather Service. For more weather updates, please visit my web site www.chesapeakebayweather.com, my Chesapeake Bay Weather page on Facebook, and if you're heading to Ocean City feel free to check out my Ocean City MD Weather page on Facebook. You can also follow me on Twitter @chesbayweather.

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Brian Mark Weber has been observing, forecasting, and writing about Chesapeake Bay weather for many years. His site www.chesapeakebayweather.com has provided area residents with important weather information since 2003. Currently, Brian's weather updates are posted on his Chesapeake Bay Weather Facebook page and his Ocean City MD Weather Facebook page. Brian studied climatology and meteorology at Lyndon State College and Mississippi State University and expects to earn a Certificate in Weather Forecasting from Pennsylvania State University in 2014. In 2009, Brian was interviewed by the Weather Channel on the series When Weather Changed History about the role of weather during the American Revolution. His home weather station was featured in a Baltimore Sun article. Additionally, Brian has served as a Skywarn observer for many years, gives presentations to schools in central Maryland, and taught a weather class for kids.

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